Conveyer chain



Feb. 13, 1951 BAUGH 2,541,632

CONVEYER CHAIN Filed April 15, 1947 ROBERT T. BAUGH ZNVENTORB l twain? q! ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 13, 1951 CONVEYER CHAIN Robert T. Baugh, Brookfield, Wis., assignor to Chain Belt Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporati'on of Wisconsin Application April, 15, 1947, Serial N 0. 741,647

4 Claims. 1.

This invention relates to conveyers, particularly that type of conveyer used totransport articles, such as cans and bottles in an upright position. These conveyers have wide application in machines used for sterilizing, packaging, and otherwise processing products in bottles or containers. Also, this type of chain is widely used in the industries themselves for such purposes as transfer from station to station in a processing line. This type of chain has generally become known as a flat top conveyer chain.

The most feasible flat top chain at present is of a type manufactured from sheets or strips of metal and having mated inter-fitted knuckles with a pintle inserted therethrough. An advantage of this particular type of chain is its extreme simplicity, being formed of two parts, the links themselves and a pintle. Another advantage of this particular type of chain is the continuous planar supporting surface offered by an assembled chain strand. It is possible to reduce processing losses to a minimum by use of this chain, for spillage, tipping, breakage as a result of the tipping, and jam-up of following containers is prevented in the use of said chain.

However, it has been found desirable to increase the strength of such chains for application where extended centers have been used. In many cases these centers are 120 feet apart. It has been found that by increasing the width of the medial tongue portion of the hinge, the tendency of this curled portion to straighten out under excessive loads can be obviated, and a much stronger chain produced without increasing its weight or complicating its manufacture. Also, that the conventional pintle can be dispensed with and a much stronger structure provided by forming the connecting bar of a link from the metal of the link itself.

It is the object of this invention to provide a chain belt conveyer that can be successfully applied to long distance centers between sprockets.

Further, it is the object of this invention to provide a chain belt which is adaptable to economical manufacture.

It is further the object of this invention to provide a detachable flat top conveyer chain.

It is another object of this invention to provide an extremely simple flat top conveyer chain of sheet metal having but one element.

Other objects will appear to those skilled in the art after a study of the drawings and in the reading of the following description and claims.

In the figures:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sheet metal flat top detachable chain link.

' gent thereto.

Fig; 2 is a plan view of a detachable sheet metal flat top chain.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partl in section, the portion in section being taken along the lines 3'-3 of Fig; 2, of an assembled strand of de tachable sheet metal conveyer chain links.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of. one end of an assembled chain shown articulating over a sprocket.

Referring to the drawings, it will benoted that the improved chain link I0 is formed from one piece of sheet metal. As is usually the case in flat'top conveyer chains, the link is generally of rectangular shape, although it may be necessary in various instances either to make the link entirely square, excessively rectangular, or of some other shape. Fig. 2 shows an assembled chain belt. The hooked portion it is shown as overlapping the edge of the. next succeeding link. This feature makes for can stability on the con veyer run. Also, in some instances where it is necessary to take cans directly off the chain conveyer at the end of the run, as the chain articulates over the sprocket, this feature further pre vents tipping. Also, it will be noted that the edges I2 on the hooked side of the link are brought in extremely close relationship to the edges l3 on the notched out portion of the link. This feature has the same effect as those previously mentioned aforesaid and further makes for a more perfect continuous planar supporting surface.

The hooked forward extending extension H is shown as being downwardly curled with the upper portions of inward surface of the curl I4 being approximately tangent to the underside l5 of the link; in this manner the moment arm is reduced so as to preclude a bending back of the curled portion H when the chain is loaded.

A portion of the link contiguous the edge opposite said curled portion is shown as being notched out with the metal therefrom formed in the shape of an arcuate bar portion [6 depressed below the bottom side I5 of the link and substantially tan- The lateral edges of said arcuate portion merge into the main body portion of the link IT. The ends of the notched out portion [8 shortened by adjusting take-up mechanism; thereupon two links are rotated about their joint axis until the hooked extension II can be withdrawn through the gap 20 formed by the notching out of the bar [6.

In the event of a breakdown of the chain conveyer strand necessitating the replacement of a link, it is apparent that such replacement can be accomplished in an extremely facile manner for there is no necessity for removing bent pins or even in driving in new ones. 7

The improved structure of the instant invention permits a relatively short distance from the platform top ll of the link to the axis of rotation of the joint; this results in a much smaller gap between the links as they articulate over sprockets, which further results in the practical elimination of tripping of containers at transfer points, for the chain easily slides from under any containers which may be blocked and rendered immobile, This is evident by reference to Fig. 4. The link of this improved conveyer chain is capable of extremely economical manufacture, for there is practically no waste metal as the invention enables the bearing surface of the link to be formed from a sheet metal plate. Also, the use of a pintle is obviated.

Tests have revealed that this improved chain has as much as 30% more strength than conventional flat top chain belt aforesaid; this increased strength is an inherent quality of the structure of the present improved link which utilizes a relatively wider hook and an integral bar portion connected to the link by a substantial amount of metal.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

l. A link for a flat top conveyer chain, comprising a metallic element having a planar body portion providing a substantially flat article supporting surface, one of the transverse edges of said body portions having an integral, medial downwardly curled knuckle extension; said body portion having an aperture adjacent the other, opposite edge of said link and an integral medial portion disposed below the plane of the link, said medial portion having a downwardly curled extension formed of the metal removed from the 4 aperture whereby a journaled surface for an adjacent link is formed.

2. In a sheet metal link conveyer chain, a plurality of aligned plate-like detachable links forming a continuous planar surface, adjacent links each having a downwardly curled hook medially extending from one of the edges thereof, a medially arranged aperture contiguous the opposite edge the metal removed from, said aperture being arcuately disposed below the plane of the link to accommodate said hooked portion of the next succeeding link whereby a continuous planar surface is formed.

3. A sheet metal conveyer link comprising a substantially flat metal portion providing an article supporting surface, a downwardly curled extension at one of the edges of said link, a substantially rectangular opening in said surface contiguous the opposite edge of said link, and an arcuate bearing surface below said opening formed of the metal removed from said open- 4. In a conveyer chain having a substantially planar surface for supporting articles, a detachable link of one piece construction formed from sheet metal stock and having at one edge a curled knuckle and adjacent the other edge a pierced aperture, the metal removed in forming said aperture being curled on one side of said link as a bearing, whereby the tongue of an adjacent link may be hooked through said aperture and around the metal so removed to form a chain joint.

ROBERT T. BAUGH.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Simpson May '7, 1907 Whipple May 10, 1921 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain of 1903 Number Number 

